Singh offered Pak 5,000 MW electricity: Report

Islamabad: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
offered to provide Pakistan 5,000 MW of electricity during a
meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on the
sidelines of a nuclear security summit in Seoul, according to
a Pakistani media report on Wednesday.

Singh made the offer during a brief interaction with
Gilani in the South Korean capital, The News daily quoted its
sources as saying in a report on its website.

The electricity could help meet Pakistan`s energy
requirements on an urgent basis and "could be transmitted
through Punjab without much delay", the report said.

The Indian Prime Minister took keen interest in
Pakistan`s economic difficulties and Gilani thanked Singh for
the offer, the daily quoted its sources as saying.

Gilani told Singh that "Islamabad would reply to New
Delhi through proper channels soon".

There was no official word on the development from the
governments of India and Pakistan.

During the meeting in Seoul, Singh reportedly recalled
his last meeting with Gilani in the Maldives, where he had
described the Pakistani premier as a "man of peace".

Singh said the talks process between the two countries is
proceeding at a satisfactory pace and could be accelerated if
required, the report.

Gilani expressed similar views and told Singh that "their
governments should be remembered for establishing enduring
peace in the region and resolving disputes which have made
progress and development of the region their hostage", the
report said.

Following the resumption of their peace process last year
after a gap of two years in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai terror
attacks, the two countries set up special groups of officials
to discuss trade in petroleum products and electricity.